Of Sprouts and Seas
by WaterStar45
Summary: When Petra Rillette lands herself in another world she discovers two things. 1) She has no idea how to deal with it. 2) Monkey D. Luffy is stubborn as hell. (SI/Self-insert)
1. Prologue

**I've been told that self-inserts are the lowest of the low in a fandom. Well, might as well try one anyway, right? Anyway, this is just a short prologue.**

 **Disclaimer: One Piece doesn't belong to me.**

* * *

''Are you sure that's a good idea, sister? You know what will happen if-''

''I'm aware. But we both know I don't have a choice, don't we?"

A woman, wearing a long white gossamer gown, though no shoes, turned towards her brother. She had smooth, dark brown hair, but it was her eyes that stood out. The irises were a bright gold, swirling and glowing with color.

All in all? She looked _otherworldly._

Her brother, on the other hand, looked just as stunning, if only in a different way. He had light, blonde hair with dark highlights, with a black and gray suit and tie combo. Unlike his sister, he had a black pair of dress shoes. His dark eyes also stood out; a still, but stormy gray. ''Calypso-''

''Erebos, you _know_ why I must do this. ''

The siblings' appearances were a stark contrast-it was like looking at dark and light, which only served to make the differences all the more noticeable.

''It's reckless,''Erebos countered, folding his arm across his chest. ''Not just for you, but for _her,_ too. The dimensional energy could cause some serious damage, even if doesn't last too long. That's only the tip of the iceberg! Who knows what else could come through-!"

''I won't ask you to help me, but you can't stop me, either.'' Calypso turned around, gesturing in front of her. ''I know the risk, but the return is greater. Changes have already been made. Just one more is enough.''

The room the two siblings were inside may as well have been pitch black, except for the atmosphere around them. the air glittered with multi-colored lights as though they were stars-vibrant greens, blues, oranges, full ROY G BIV reflected against Calypso and Erebos' faces. In the area that Calypso now faced, a giant, translucent sphere quite literally floated. Despite this, Erebos appeared to walk normally, steps silent until he stopped behind his sister.

''This is too risky, sister,'' He warned. ''And I cannot support-''

Calypso shook her head. "I don't have a choice.'' She replied, pressing a hand against the crystalline surface of the sphere in front of her.

She did not plan on failing.

* * *

 **Word count (without notes): 411**


	2. 1 - Of Sprouts and Seas

**One of the excuses you get for a few things happening in this chapter are utter bull. Don't run away quite yet - you'll get real answers in later chapters.**

 **Also, looking for a beta reader/someone I can toss ideas off of, if anyone wants to volunteer.**

 **Edit (as of 8-16-2017): Actually, a lot of screw is in this chapter. Again, you'll get answers later.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece, or a few other things appearing in the chapter.**

* * *

Nojiko crossed her arms, staring at her now occupied bed as it had been for the past few minutes. Next to her was Genzo, and sitting beside the bed on a stool was Doctor Nako.

Said occupant was a young girl, who, at the most, might be fourteen, and at the least, twelve. She was too small to be any older, in Nojiko's opinion. She wore a hooded, black vest with a teal polo shirt underneath, with a pair of dark jean capris and black, gray and teal sneakers. At the moment, the ensemble was accompanied by several bandages around her arms and legs, where bruises had begun to form and cuts had likely done the same. It was both incredibly amazing and incredibly that said girl hadn't broken her neck.

Nojiko-despite having seen it for herself-could barely believe that a random... _kid_...had fallen at _least_ a hundred feet in the air, and _still_ survived. It made the bluenette wonder if a fishman could do that, though soon chased away the thought in favor of calling Doctor Nako to check her over. Genzo had come over with said doctor. Both of them were simply glad for the small miracle that had her crash in the tangerine orchard instead of anywhere conspicuous. The Arlong Pirates wouldn't take kindly to a human girl they didn't know coming out of nowhere.

''So, Doctor Nako,'' She began, crossing her arms underneath her chest. ''What's your diagnosis?"

Nako shifted, standing up and pushing the stool aside. ''From what you said, these are only minor injuries from a fall like that. Just some cuts and bruises. I'm just surprised that she even survived.''

The doctor shook his head, grabbing his medical bag from the nightstand. ''Anyway, she definitely has a few older scars, I can give you that much. There's a pretty noticeable one behind her ear. It healed correctly, though; if it hadn't, judging by the size, it would have been pretty damaging.''

Nojiko nodded, filing the information away as she thanked Nako, showing him out. When she came back, Genzo had taken Nako's old seat, Nojiko moving to sit at the foot of the bed after grabbing a brown messenger bag from the kitchen counter on the way back.

''These fell down with her...I think,'' Nojiko commented. After calling Nako, she had taken a look around the tangerine field again-finding a simple, brown, messenger bag back in the groves next to a tree. A single buckle in the front had a strange emblem on it-a silvery circle with some sort of combination between a cratered moon and spiraling sun. Not only that, but the same symbol was on the back, alongside another strip of fabric, though Nojiko wasn't sure what it was for. She couldn't say the symbol rang a bell, either-not that it was a big deal, in her mind. She'd be more concerned on whether it had cracked so much as a tree branch on Bellemere's groves. ''Found this in the orchard a little bit after she fell. Have you ever seen this weird symbol before?" she asked, passing the bag over to her surrogate father. It wasn't all that heavy-she was dangling it by the strap, and by estimate, it weighed less than half a crate of tangerines.

Genzo examined the bag, shaking his head, ''I've never seen it before.''

It was as Nojiko expected, though it didn't really hurt. The bluenette stood up and put the light-weight bag on the nightstand. She wanted to look through it, sure, but if it _did_ belong to the mystery kid, she wouldn't want to have poked through it. ''Worth a try,'' she hummed, returning to her seat at the foot of her bed.

Now, all they could do was wait.

* * *

I had a slow awakening. Said awakening did not consist of a blonde with pigtail tripping over me or a guy with a legendary sword helping me up.

Instead, I ended up with a painful headache as light assaulted my eyes, causing me to slam them shut.

Eh, least my memory was still intact.

''You alright, kid?" I had felt the lights go down, probably from my swift reaction. While a part of me as annoyed as being addressed as a child, I technically was one, at least legally, and it might be safe t play the innocent card when dealing with strangers.

I (slowly) opened my eyes again, sitting up and looking around despite the headache that came with it.

The room I was in was a small one, the walls painted a light blue, with the nightstand to my left. There were a few pictures on the wall and on the nightstand, though I didn't pay much attention to them. They probably weren't a concern right now. The frames on the nightstand were accompanied by a simple lamp that cast a bland light around the room-looking up, I saw a fan with lights attached, the kind that you'd fine in any family home. Judging by the lamp light, the lights on the fan had probably been the ones to turn off.

The speaker had been a woman with a blue tattoo across her collarbone and arm, a yellow tank top, and dark blue pants, and a strange mix of bluish or purple hair-

Blue hair? I chalked it up to a dye job. For all I knew, she was originally blonde.

On my left, there was a middle aged-maybe around the 60's?-who had multiple stitches across his arms and face, and from the looks of it, likely the rest of his body, too. His brown police uniform was accompanied by a matching cap, adorned by a still, dark yellow pinwheel.

Waaaaaiiiitt a second….

Pinwheel on a cap...woman with blue hair….

Either they were _really_ good cosplayers, or something…. _else_...was going on. I hoped it was the former, because way too many people in stories tended to end up in these situations, and it was _not_ pretty.

So, I either was in a room with seriously accurate cosplayers, or I was in another world. I wasn't sure which was worse.

''Hello?" Nojiko-the name auto-filled for me-waved a hand in front of my face as she came back from the light switch. It made me realize that I had stared to long-I would have to come up with something to cover up my tracks. If it was as I suspected (and suspect I did) then I would _have_ to lie, at least for the half of it. Even if it wasn't completely, ignoring that, I wasn't one to trust random strangers. Especially in this situation-the last thing I remembered was falling asleep, before waking up here, and that was a detail that was definitely important.

''A-ah, sorry…'' Either way, my words still stumbled. Not that it mattered much, at the moment-it probably made me seem more like a confused teenager than anything, so it hardly damaged me. It was pretty true, anyway, so no acting there. ''I've never….never seen anyone with that many stitches.'' _Old injuries._ I had gotten a few before, and had covered up the bigger scars. Most of the times, the scars themselves didn't bother me that much-I wasn't a girl all that concerned over appearances as long as I was presentable. The only ''make-up'' I ever wore was chapstick, and that hardly counted. It was more to me what they _meant._ What they _meant_ were the kids at school finding another reason to point me out as different, a problem that I didn't need to make any worse that it already was.

Genzo-once again, the name filled in itself-gave a dry sigh and waved off any possibility of apology. ''I've heard it before. My name is Genzo-'' _Confirmation_ , I thought,'' And this is Nojiko. What's your name?''

''Petra.'' The name came automatically - _Mey Ros_ was chased away as quickly as possible.

All in all, I was _definitely_ in a place I didn't want to be. A perfectly fictional world that I'd only seen in anime and manga. Most people here could take plenty of inhuman hits and still survive.

In other words, _One Piece._

''Well then, Petra,''Genzo shifted in his seat as I did the same on the bed, moving my legs so I could sit facing Genzo and Nojiko. My headache had more or less faded away to a minor annoyance. The position was mainly so I could move quickly, should I need to run. It was an old habit hard to break, like sitting at the edge of my chair. It was a _just in case-_ sometimes, you just had to be ready to run if someone ever tried to knife you. Granted, it was doubtful that I could outrun Nojiko and Genzo, considering they were far taller than me, and headache or no, my limbs still ached, but it didn't hurt to be cautious. ''How did you end up falling into our tangerine groves?"

''...falling?" I blinked, staring at Genzo for a moment,

How would I have _fallen_ anywhere?

Nojiko pointed upwards, towards the ceiling. ''You came out of nowhere. Fell straight from the sky. Actually, before I forget…'' she snapped one of her fingers, heading towards the nightstand. I hadn't noticed it before- a small, brown messenger bag with a circular clasp. ''This yours? I'm pretty sure it fell down with you.''

That moment was...weird. It wasn't mine-I knew that for sure, yet… ''Yes.'' Nojiko didn't catch the lie, passing the bag over to me. I would check what was in it later-if I did it now, then it might come across as somewhat suspicious since I claimed the thing as mine.

''T-thanks. So, I fell out of the sky?" This was a genuine question. While I sure as hell (and hell was _very_ certain) was in One Piece, I couldn't say I was so sure about the whole...falling out of the sky, thing. Did this sort of thing happen often when people ended up in One Piece? Then again, that was assuming this sort of thing actually happened, instead of this being some weird dream.

I doubted it, considering my bruises said otherwise. Or maybe that was just me…

''Right in front me,'' Nojiko answering forced me to change gears - the throbbing in my head had reduced to become nothing more than a dull annoyance, but I had to make sure that I was thinking straight. ''This is Cocoyashi Village. Any ideas how you got here?"

''No, I don't.'' I admitted, shaking my head. Falling out of the sky wasn't exactly a common occurrence - least of all for me. ''I couldn't explain it myself if I tried.''

Genzo gave a short laugh. ''Fair enough,'' he concluded. ''Fair enough.'' the mayor of Cocoyashi Village stood up, pushing back his stool and moving to head out the door.

''Come out when you're ready, alright?" Nojiko spoke up, doing the same as the door shut behind the both of them.

The first thing I did when I was sure that the door was closed was stand, careful to stabilize myself on the side of the bed, and turned, partially leaning on it.

I was in One Piece, no doubt about it.

One.

Piece.

Most people would probably be excited, if they were a fan like me. After freaking out, anyway, they'd be excited. Who knew what this sort of thing entailed? To _most_ , it'd be exciting to meet their idols, to have fun, to -

I was not remotely excited. Even so, I took a deep breath, straightening my posture and grabbing the brown messenger bag that Nojiko had given me. I couldn't afford to freak out - being level-headed was one of my specialties, and I wouldn't be letting that go any time soon. First item on the agenda would be to poke through the bag, just in case. If I was lucky, something in it would help me out, though that was doubtful. My luck in Fire Emblem Heroes never translated anywhere else.

The first thing I did was examine the bag itself. It felt like something like soft, used leather, though it itself didn't look the part. It felt that way, yes, but it didn't look like a beaten cow's skin. On the top was a single flap with a traditional clasp as a buckle. Said buckle reminded me of a sun and moon - though, more accurately, light and dark. Why, I had no idea, and either way, it didn't look all that familiar. Flipping it over, there seemed to be another strap, for whatever reason. I hadn't noticed it first, the color allowing it to blend in with the bag, but eh.

The clasp itself was surprisingly hard to undo. Maybe not once I figured it out, but it was a push, slide, and open. Well, at least it would stay closed if I needed it to….

The next thing I did was poke around inside. Pretty spacious, and I soon discovered a back pocket other than the main gig. Useful for storage. Other than that, though….

Inside, there were only a few items responsible for the bag's weight. First of all, there was a black, leather bound book, around half an inch or so thick. When I pulled it out, however, there wasn't a single word on it - no title, no words inside, not even on the spine.

Strange…

Digging around a little more, I soon discovered a few other things. A small roll of bandages, a just as small bottle of rubbing alcohol, and a few smaller quantities of other first aid supplies. Useful, once again.

That wasn't the only thing, though. The last item in the bag was some sort of wooden bracelet-it looked like metal, but it was definitely wood, just from how it felt. It had several carvings on it, giving me the vague impression of waves and leaves. I'd seen trees with light trunks, like aspen - I wouldn't be shocked if that was what the thing was made out of.

That was it, though. I double-checked to make sure - nothing. It wasn't long until I flipped open the book, glancing at the door. Don't ask me why - I liked to check things once or twice over if I could, just to make sure there weren't surprises.

 _Scritch...scratch…_

The sound reminded me of a pencil - when kids were using one and writing too fast on a test. Other than myself, there wasn't anyone in the room-

I looked down.

 _Hello. I'm Calypso._

I was one of the many readers of _Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets._ Suffice to say, I was definitely getting a ''Tom Riddle'' vibe, meaning it was time to close the book and chuck it across the room before I lost whatever remained of my soul. (Then again, that was assuming I had one, but…)

In any case, I didn't.

There was a part of me that was curious - and beyond that, there was just something inside of that wanted to..respond, regardless of how stupid idea it might be. It was a strange tug, much like the very thing that made me claim the bag as my own.

Well, might as well _try_ to communicate…. I fished a pencil from my jeans pocket - leftover from finals week, poising it over the paper. First things first, how should I respond? Considering where I was…

 _What's going on?_

 _That's a vague question._

 _Can you answer it?_

 _Mm..you've realized where you are, correct? The wrong_ world?

There was something about those words. Not the smooth handwriting, not the fast scratching of a pencil...no, instead, it was more like the _feeling_. Writing can convey a lot, and this was no exception.

 _And you're the one who sent me here?_

It was several moments before the next, single word answer came. I almost closed it.

 _Yes._

Then again, at that answer, maybe I wanted to.

Most people would be pissed in that sort of situation, and I wouldn't blame them, either. ''Calypso'' had plucked me out of my home - without any warning, I might add. Not only that, but her way of transportation had been nothing short of completely conspicuous, and depending on how high the fall was, I was shocked that I didn't break my neck.

But even so, getting information was more important, and something that I better se to.

 _Why?_ I wrote.

Yet another pause.

 _Oh, who knows? I was bored._

 _..._ Never mind, I'm pretty sure no one would be annoyed for me getting angry. I had a plenty good excuse now, anyway.

Before I could leave a reply, however, Calypso's words came through - faster than before, as though she was in a bigger hurry than she had been.

 _Moving on, you've noticed that you're in a supposedly fictional word. Let's cut to the chase. See that bracelet?_

A part of me debated on whether to ignore her or not. Then again, with the words appearing so fast, I wasn't really being given the chance. Granted, throwing it into the ocean was definitely an option….

 _Other than any other skills that you may or may not have, it's a way to defend yourself._

The topic, on the other hand, definitely caught my attention, though that didn't mean I wasn't a little skeptical. I highly doubted I'd have to melt it down or anything, but it didn't necessarily look like something one would weaponize.

 _How would that work?_ I asked, reaching back into the back and examining the bracelet with my other hand.

 _It should look at least a little familiar to you._ Huh. Now that she mentioned it...wait…!

 _If I can drop a teenager into a different world, what makes you think I can't an object?_

Well, fair enough, though I didn't get the time to respond to that.

 _Deku Spear rings a bell, I'm sure. You'll be getting a crash course in using it._

Legend of Zelda, huh? The Deku Spear had been a weapon used by the white Sorceress Lana. I had always wondered….

 _It's all about will. You have to_ want _it to happen. The bracelet is only a separate, more portable version - but it won't have any combat capabilities until it's in it's other form, as of now._

 _Do I just…_ My pencil paused. _Say it in my head or something?_

 _Whatever you need to do._

Well, _that_ wasn't vague at all, though I suppose ''will'' wasn't all that detailed either. I had to make it happen, according to Calypso, and I supposed there wasn't much I could do behind closed doors. Hopefully, Nojiko really _would_ wait until I came out myself. That, and there wouldn't be so much noise as to arouse suspicion.

I picked up the bracelet, holding it in the palm of my hand. To the common eye, it would seem like nothing special. Unsurprising, since I had only seen it as a fashion accessory when I first saw it.

It didn't matter much either way, however. I talked in my head tried to imagine it changing into a giant stick…

Nothing. Then again, it was never that easy, and I suppose fifteen minutes wasn't going to cut it.

I didn't have to write to get a note from Calypso, the _scritch scratch_ of a pencil making me look back down at the book. _Give yourself time. In the meantime, I suggest you step outside before Nojiko decides she needs to check on you._

I sighed, quietly shutting the book closed and slipping it into the bag, and the bracelet onto my wrist. I might not be able to use it right now, but it might be good to have it - who knew, I might get lucky.

In any case, I had a lot to worry about. The timeline, for one thing - where was I? Before the Arlong Park arc? After? Not only that, but I needed a game plan. I wouldn't be able to impose in Cocoyashi Village forever, least of all all that long, and I doubt they would allow that, either. They would want the answer to where I was from soon, and I'd have to offer some sort of answer.

Either way, there wasn't time to worry about it now. The only thing I could do was open the door and hope for the best.

* * *

 **Word count (without notes): 3394**


	3. 2 - Of Worlds and Worries

**Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece...or Legend of Zelda, for that matter, but there isn't any elements from that in this chapter.**

A full day passed until something actually happened. In the meantime, Nojiko had me out of sight. For the most part, this meant staying in the house, and as a result, helping around as well. It hadn't taken long for her to explain the situation with Arlong - Granted, it wasn't the whole truth, considering she left our Nami's deal with Arlong and a few other miniscule details, but for the most part, she wanted a ''kid'' like me to stay out of sight.

I say that term very loosely.

In any case, I didn't have any problems helping her out; Nojiko was letting me stay for a while without paying or anything, and I wasn't a stranger to chores and housework. It was mainly the fact that I couldn't go outside - where I lived, we had all of one neighbor and a backyard with more than just the deck. True, I didn't go out terribly often since I was usually busy, but I appreciated the option.

Anyway, I was taking this time to make some sort of game plan. Thanks to the information from Nojiko, I more or less had a timeline - she looked about twenty, too, so that narrowed it down to before close to before the Arlong Park arc, though that could be anywhere from a day to a year. Even so, there really wasn't much I could do - Spear or no, I wasn't good enough to get on the main crew, but like it or not, there had to be _some_ way I could. Like any other mostly sensible person, I wanted to _change_ things. Ace's death was a big one, and besides that, there were several other things that might have a chance. In canon, after all, relationships between fishmen and humans were slowly starting to improve - there had to be some sort of chance of that being accelerated if I did things right.

Granted, I did want something more detailed than that, but as a general thing, being in One Piece was more than a little dangerous to me. Even excluding the main cast, probably everyone here could take a hit better than I could. I'd definitely have to find some way to get out and train with the Deku Spear, one way or another, otherwise I would be next to defenseless, realistically.

''Hey, Petra! Still here?" I looked up from the dishes as the door slammed, to see the blue-haired tangerine farmer dragging in a teen with puffy black hair shoved into a bandana, and was wearing a pair of simple overalls and tanned skin.

...Oh, right, and he had a long nose, but it was mostly the hair that made it clear who it was.

Usopp, the sniper of the Straw Hat Pirates. Then again, the nose really _was_ long….who else could it have been, Kaku? He wasn't even a crew member.

Anyway, alongside Usopp, I soon noticed a boy with a green stocking cap over the head following them both. Truth be told, I didn't really remember him from the series, so I couldn't really place a name.

Yeah, I know. Great job, self.

''Who are they?" It didn't matter much, anyway - I wasn't supposed to know about their specific existence in the first place. I had been able to dodge the biggest questions about myself, but if I started acting like a psychic, I would arouse unnecessary suspicion.

''The fellow kid-

''I'm fifteen-''

''-is Chabo,'' Nojiko finished, though I didn't doubt that she was messing with me for the day that I had known her. ''He's from Gosa Village.''

''..and the other guy?"

''No idea,'' She tossed the sniper on the wooden floor - a part of me felt bad for him, but seeing as this wasn't the worst pain he would be in in the future with interference or not, I wasn't that concerned. If he got brain damage from that alone, I'd be a little bit worried. ''Mind grabbing a couple of blankets for him? I'll make some tea.''

As per usual, Nojiko was fast. She was the type that moved from one thing to another - I hadn't known her long, but this was definitely something I had observed. I guess she was just efficient, which was something that the main series didn't show. Habits were often glazed over if they weren't considered all that important - I would know.

 _Stupid asian girl!  
_ _Go home!_

 _You don't belong here!_

...Yes, I remembered it well enough.

''Petra! Do you have them?"

''Uh...yeah!'' I called back, shutting the closet door, and leaving what I was thinking about for later. Now?

I had to meet Usopp.

* * *

Nojiko's tea was good. _Really_ good. A strange fusion of traditional green tea leaves and tangerines, fresh to the tongue with a slight aftertaste.

I had always been a green tea person.

At the moment, Chabo, Nojiko and I sat at the kitchen table, Nojiko and myself on one side, Chabo on the other. I was pretty sure it wouldn't be long until the full story began.

There was no doubt that I was right before Arlong Park. Or, at the latest, somewhere near the beginning, considering that Usopp had been so recently dragged in.

In short, I was at the perfect opportunity to do something, and I wasn't interested in sitting back and doing the opposite.

Of course, that didn't mean there weren't issues with that. Like any other person, I was one to think about the consequences of my actions. I didn't need firsthand experience to know that my knowledge could make things worse - that was simply the truth of the matter, whether I liked it or not.

''Uh…''

But, naturally, I didn't have the time to dwell on it. Our heads turned to the awakening Usopp, who was rubbing his head as he sat up and looked around.

Because, you know, I love winging things.

''Ah…'' A pause. '' _AHHHH!"_

...Suffice to say, Nojiko wouldn't be getting to speak to the frustrated Chabo for the time being, thanks to Usopp's freakout. It was something that made me raise an eyebrow….and wish for a pair of earbuds to drown out the noise.

'' _AHHHHHHHHH!"_ I didn't think it lasted a full minute, though, maybe half that time. Without character development, the guy _was_ a bit of a wimp…''Where-?!"

Nojiko rolled her eyes and rose from her seat. ''You're at my house. I'm Nojiko, a tangerine farmer. You're lucky that we escaped that fishman, you know.''

''Es...caped?" Usopp frowned, then squawked like a harpy, probably the thing that prevented him from attempting to take the credit for it. ''Wait a sec- You're the one that knocked me out! What was that for?!"

''Hmph,'' Nojiko turned, leaning against the counter. ''Outsiders are so much trouble…'' Thanks Nojiko, really feeling the appreciation. Then again, she wasn't wrong, considering what was going on in the Conami Islands at the moment. ''But you…'' her eyes slid over to Chabo. ''You're from Gosa Village, aren't you? You should know what happens when you challenge the fishmen.''

Chabo faltered, though clenched his fists as he looked at his knees. ''I-I know..but…'' He fumbled for words, shaking his head. ''They killed my dad! I won't forgive them, even if I die!'

I remembered this part. Chabo couldn't be older than 12 years old - but he _had_ been old enough to remember his dad, or at least something like that. Not even an idiotic child would swear vengeance for someone they didn't care about - there had to be some sort of emotional attachment, whether it be to the man himself or his name.

That wasn't what truly caught my attention, though. No, it was the pure hate and despair in Chabo's voice, the distraught _nothing_ behind it. I was pretty sure Nojiko noticed it too, from the look in her eyes.

''They brought that huge monster with them that I've never seen before. They destroyed the whole town! So...So many people died….. That's why I've sworn revenge!"

Even so, I wasn't all that surprised by his words. Maybe even not said words themselves - just that they were being said. Age barely factored in, though I couldn't say I was happy to know that anyone's life had been destroyed that easily.

''Then die,'' Nojiko said flatly, even as Usopp spat out his drink. I hadn't thought it important, that he was sitting right next to the kid.

''Whoa, whoa, hold on! He's just a-''

''Kid?" Nojiko straightened, crossing her arms below her chest. ''Please. Judging by the look on his face, he's already gone to Arlong Park. He somehow escaped death there, and I've saved his life here. Twice, Chabo, you've avoided death.'' She shook her head, stalking away. ''Get out of the house when you're done with your tea. I hate brats who don't know the importance of life.''

Usopp put his mug on the table, pushing his chair away as he stood up. ''Hey! That's pretty harsh! You're going too far!''

Nojiko whirled around, nothing but a cold scowl on her face that even made _me_ want to jump a little. '' _Age doesn't matter!_ Anyone who doesn't have a desire to live can die a dog's death for all I care!' she snapped, hands on her hips. ''I know a child who was only eight years old that chose to live a life far worse! Simply because she looked for a better future.''

Nami… I didn't doubt for a second that was the identity of the person Nojiko was talking about.

''Urk…''

'' _That's_ why I hate brats like him, who only think about rushing to their deaths!"

''Wh….'' Everyone turned to look at Chabo. Visible tears ran down his face, shoulders shaking as he sobbed. ''Then...w-what am I supposed to do…?"

''...What about your mom?"

''She...she's still alive…''

''Then…'' A small smile came to Nojiko's face. ''She must be worried. Why don't you go home to her?''

* * *

''What?! Nami...Nami's a member of the Arlong Pirates?!"

A minute or two ago, Usopp had introduced himself as the ''Great Captain Usopp'' (though both Nojiko and I ignored the blatant lie), before giving a majority of the details of his coming to the Conami islands. It was as I had assumed - no changes. Luffy and Sanji should still be on their way here, and Zoro…

Eh, he'd be fine. Though, his wound from Mihawk was definitely still bothering him, so that might be something to worry about…

In any case, it was probably best that I stayed silent, given the seriousness of what Usopp - and by extension, myself- was being told.

''She's pretty famous around these parts, actually. Ever heard of the witch of Cocoyashi Village? That's her. And if you think _that's_ surprising…'' Nojiko paused, as though she was preparing for some big reveal. To Usopp, it probably was. ''This was the house she grew up in. That witch and I are sisters.''

'' _What_?!" Usopp exclaimed, voice going up enough in both octaves and volume to make me want to cover my ears. '' _This is where Nami grew up?"_

If I went deaf via Usopp, I would be seriously annoyed.

''Yep,'' Nojiko drawled, leaning back against her chair. ''She and I were orphans. We were adopted and raised in this house. In fact, we used to live quite happily…'' She trailed off, making me wonder about the tone in her voice. Was she remembering? Happier times, when Bellemere was alive and Arlong had yet to come to the Conami Islands?

Usopp stared, mouth wide open. ''Then...why'd she join the Arlong Pirates, if they're terrorizing the village? Did she just betray her hometown?"

Nojiko paused, no doubt thinking about the truth of Nami's burden. ''A real witch, right?... So, Usopp, what do you want with a witch like that?''

Usopp frowned, finally settling into his seat and crossing his arms across his chest. ''Well, after hearing all of that, I guess I've got other things to think about. If she's been deceiving us all this time, then… Gah!" Suddenly, the sniper slammed his fist into the table. And here I had thought he was done with making needlessly loud noises for the next five minutes… ''She pisses me off! Even though she helped protect my village and laughed so often with us… She was planning this the whole time?!''

''She…laughed…?" Nojiko repeated, though her quiet voice and blank smile went unheard.

''That evil witch! Ugh...well, I better-''

"Did you come with anyone else?"

''Huh?'' Usopp blinked, both him and Nojiko turning to me.

I hadn't originally planned to say anything through the entire exchange and let things play out as they would have otherwise - it would make the entire thing a lot easier. Watching would be painful enough, what with Nami's treatment from Arlong, and the fishman's racial divide. ''Did you come with anyone else?" I repeated. Even so, I couldn't actually remember if Usopp remembered Zoro or not, which would probably prove to be a problem.

It was several moments before it finally hit him. ''Oh, no-!''

Nojiko blinked, appearing vaguely confused (if just as amused, at any rate) as she looked away from me. ''What's wrong?"

''I...forgot that one of my crewmates got himself caught by the fishmen.'' Usopp grimaced, though I was a little more disconcerted by the fact that he had knocked Zoro over the head with a mallet...and somehow, said fact had slipped his mind. ''I just hope he didn't get himself killed by provoking them or something…''

''Just...one question,'' I said dryly.

Usopp blinked. ''What?"

''How did you _forget about your captured crewmate while he's dying?"_

 **Word count: 2277**

 **...This was going to be longer, But I couldn't resist that being the last words of the chapter.**


	4. 3 - Of Pasts and Promises

**Disclaimer: ….okay, it's blatantly obvious what I own and what I don't. List as you please.**

Nojiko had instructed me to stay at the house, no doubt to ensure that I stayed out of sight as she and Usopp left. Not that shocking - now that I had ''learned'' the full situation, it would supposedly make more sense in her view.

Well, at least I got the canon (or non-canon, depending on how you look at it) explanation for why they had gone to town. Going to talk to Genzo about the whole Zoro issue, understandably. As far as I knew (or remembered), he was the mayor - it would be prudent to inform him, even though he didn't exactly have a lot of control with Arlong around.

In any case, I had a decision to make. I remembered a majority of the arc - Usopp will get dragged to Arlong Park, Zoro escapes with Nami's help, aaaaand everyone thinks that she killed Usopp. Nezumi comes to steal her money in the tangerine grove afterwards, and everything escalates more than it already had.

If I played my cards right, then I could save the Straw Hats some pain. But if I did it incorrectly…

Then, well, like any other person would think about, I could make things _worse._ Contrary to popular belief, no, I did _not_ revel in other people's pain. Well, unless I hated said person _that_ much, but if that was the case, I doubted I was the only one.

Anyway, I knew a lot of the things that needed to happen, at any rate. Nami _had_ to ''kill'' Usopp so that the Arlong Pirates didn't suspect her - otherwise, they would fry her on the spot and kill everyone in Cocoyashi Village. But after that, I could probably figure something out.

If I could find Usopp after he ''died'' and get him to the Straw Hats fast enough, then I could catch her red-handed in having not actually killed him. Would that ruin Nojiko's entrance? I was pretty sure she was ''Miss Expository'' concerning Nami's past for the rest of the Straw Hats. Then again, it might not be that big of a deal, considering that, in the end, they hadn't cared that much over just helping her out without asking questions.

I didn't have time to fully think about all the consequences, though. I wished I did, but time was short - standing in the house was just wasting it. This was _One Piece_ \- a lot could happen in ten minutes. I would have to worry about everything later and walk with the tides. My current priority?

Finding a dead Usopp.

Hm….he had been walking around a beach, right…?

* * *

I wasn't sure if it was the anime or manga that said it, but I got to the beach (thankfully, the right one, considering that you can end up anywhere on an island. I guess walking in one direction really did work…though I wouldn't be telling that to Zoro, any time soon) right on time. It was lucky - next time, I mused, I would have to find a better plan.

In the meantime, a long-nosed, sopping wet figure rose out of the water, huffing and puffing like a wolf. Well, at least he wasn't dead or anything, aligning with canon. My presence alone had yet to change anything, thankfully.

''Usopp!" I called. It was then that he jumped, swinging his head back and forth, knees shaking, Couldn't really blame the guy, considering he had almost died and only survived because Nami stabbed herself.

''You're the girl that was at Nojiko's house!" He exclaimed. ''Uh...you…''

''Petra,'' I didn't expect him to remember my name - I hadn't said much of anything, other than questioning him.

….That, and most people didn't care to remember names either way, least of all mine.

''No time, to talk - your friends probably think you're dead. Better prove them wrong, right?" My voice came out more peppy than I would have liked not by much, but it was something I noticed. Maybe a bad habit, but I tended to change tones of voice fairly often, as long as it's with different people that wouldn't meet. It helped, sometimes, if they were acclimated to a different person they liked.

In any case, either Usopp didn't care, or he didn't notice, eyes widening to the literal size of dinner plates. (And by literal, I mean literal. Who knew anime logic applied liked that?) ''Oh, yeah, good idea! I need to make sure that they- Hey!"

While the sniper had been talking, I had taken the chance to grab him by the arm, tugging slightly and pointing in the direction of Arlong Park, assuming I remembered it correctly. Childish 12-year old act it was, apparently - though I wasn't sure what that would make Usopp think. ''We can cut through the forest.''

''Uh...right! The Great Captain Usopp knows his priorities!'' That's a lie Usopp, and you know it - I _saw_ that hesitation, considering he probably saw me as the little kid. Hopefully, it was the thought of Nami that had made him react. ''...Lead the way.''

We spent a little too much time moving through the forest, in my opinion. In general, I just wanted to avoid running into the possibility of running into any fishmen.

...that, and I had just picked the direction I thought was the right then, and was mainly relying on the fact that Arlong Park was in that direction.  
''We've been walking around for a while now,'' Usopp huffed. ''You sure you know where you're going?''

 _No._ Though, as funny as his reaction might be to my saying that, it probably wasn't worth-

'' _...the hell you want! Go and die for all I care!''_

''Hey, were you listening? I said-''

''Come on!" Weren't those words when Nami left? If so, we had to move - just ahead, I could see just a _speck of orange_ -

'' _Nami, wait!"_

I...wasn't really sure what I was doing. Speaking had been an impulse, right after breaking into a run and dragging Usopp behind me, before finally stumbling to a stop just outside the trees, scuffing dirt. There was a moment where everyone just stared - Zoro with a raised eyebrow, Sanji blinking in surprise, Luffy being the simple idiot and just...looking, etc, etc.

I was a little too busy catching my breath to care for much, anyway.

''Usopp… isn't dead. Nami didn't kill anyone, and-''

'' _Excuse me?"_ Nami's voice was cold - a brutally cruel mask that I didn't doubt was thanks to the terrible childhood she had.

I straightened my posture, letting out a slight huff before glancing behind me. ''Usopp, _please tell me I didn't run all the way out here for nothing!''_

..eh, a little too much sass to fit a proper act, but honestly, this was an opportunity that I couldn't let slip.

''Yeah, yeah, I'm here…'' The sniper muttered, brushing leaves out of his hair as I turned towards the group with a shrug, as if to say ''see?"

''Usopp!" Sanji's cigarette, thankfully onto dirt instead of trees, dropped from his mouth.

''Big Bro!"

''You're not dead?!"

There was a beat of silence - probably so everyone, including Nami, judging by her pale face, could take a moment to process. Well, their dead comrade was...not dead, so I suppose it was justified.

''So, witch.'' Zoro said dryly, ''You didn't get tired of Long Nose, after all.''

The mood was solemn, to say the least. I relaxed my posture, scuffling my feet on the dirt, slightly, while Luffy blinked owlishly at the procession. Another beat of silence - tension so tight it could be cut like a knife.

Or, at least, it _would've…_

''Nami-swan isn't a witch!"

''That's your problem!?"

''Take it back, marimo!''

''Make me, swirls!"

...Seriously, ZoSan shippers? I try to practice empathy, but seeing them quite literally at each other's throats wasn't much of a selling point.

On the other hand, it was pretty...interesting mood whiplash, though I could've slapped someone for it.

''Hey, Usopp. Tell me what happened.''

It was...strange. Normally, simply knowing from reading and watching, Luffy was none too serious. Even now, he didn't seem it - sitting down on the road with his legs crossed, head tilted up. Despite that, there was a simple authority - and authority that made me wonder if _that_ was why Luffy had done so well on his journey.

Usopp floundered for a moment, before answering. ''Nami covered for me. She stabbed herself so that-''

'' _Shut up!"_ Anyone could praise Nami on her staff work, because in the next second, the wood nailed Usopp across the head, causing the sniper to hit the ground. '' _What do you know?! What do any of you know? Not the cleaver twins, not some random kid, not some idiotic pirates, and not you, Luffy!"_

''You...you don't know what's happening here! You don't know what's happened on this island! I told you to leave, because if you did, then you wouldn't die like the _rest_!"

''... 'Do you know what it would have been like, for a girl only ten years old to have the burden of an entire village?" Nami's outburst - revealing things she clearly didn't want said - had caused yet another silence, until sandals moved across the dirt and Nami whirled around.

''Nojiko?!"

''That's what I've been asking myself, these last eight years. What it must have been like for you, Nami…'' The blue-haired tangerine farmer had a hand on her hip, eyes flicking across the group (including me, I realized), before staying on Nami. ''You should tell them, Nami. They came all this way for you, after all.''

''They're strangers, Nojiko!" Nami protested, though her words sounded weak to most everyone's ears. ''Outsiders!"

''Outsiders and strangers who are _friends,_ Nami. And if you won't tell them, I will.''

It's one thing to know something is going to happen. I didn't know the exact details - considering my memory wasn't perfect, and I was already changing things by bringing in Usopp early. The only consistent thing was that it wouldn't be good - Luffy still needed to beat Arlong, and Zoro would have a hard time with Hatchan with his injuries from Mihawk. Everyone else might not get any lasting injuries, though I didn't doubt that those fights would be painful. Contrary to popular belief, I wasn't one to enjoy death and destruction - moreso the opposite.

To be downright truthful, I was worried. Now, these were real people, as opposed to simple characters. Had I jumped the gun in putting Usopp early? True, it was already done, and there was nothing I could do to change it, but that didn't mean I wasn't worried. The best thing I could do was roll with the changes I made and hope for the best.

In any case, the preceding affair continued, and judging from Nami's silence, Nojiko would have to be the one to speak up.

Nami's tale - and that of Cocoyashi Village - was a sad one. I knew that. Having read and heard it three times over. Nojiko's voice carried pain for Bellemere, sorrow for Cocoyashi Village, and both for Nami. It reminded me of a feeling that was all too familiar - most found it hard to believe, but it was commonplace for people to yearn for love and know that it was too far away.

I chased away the feeling as fast as I could.

''I can help, Nami.''

The navigator in question had fallen to her knees, a near replica of the scene where hope had been lost. The biggest difference, really, was that she wasn't knifing herself, something that I was thankful for.

''...No….'' Nami whispered, digging into the earth and staining her nails a dark brown. ''What does it matter if you know? You...you didn't know what it was like...nothing can stop him! Poisoning him, stabbing him in the back, setting traps...not even hiring someone helped! What can you do?"

''I can beat him.'' Luffy had stood up - now, he was directly behind the orange-haired navigator. ''Let me _help_ , Nami.''

...I think something clicked, in that moment, for lack of a better. Originally, Nami had seen nothing but despair before giving in to Luffy - the Straw hat Pirates had been her last option, after Arlong's betrayal. In the end, they must have been everything she'd wanted, though was too afraid to accept.

A part of me understood that. I prayed to gain the attention of both my parents and the world around me, but was terrified on what they would say once it happened. Nami must have _hoped_ for friends like these, but _feared_ what would happen to those who became too loyal.

I don't claim to know what happened - or, at a minimum, understand it. But a connection between people, a friendship like this…

Who knew. Maybe Nami saw the hope before the fear.

''Okay.''

* * *

There was dead silence.

After Nami had accepted the Straw Hats' help (I didn't miss the look of relief on Nojiko's face, either), the march to Arlong Park had begun. It wasn't as epic was one would have thought - though, it might have been just me.

...eh, as cool as it would have been, I was more concerned as to whether anyone got themselves killed or not.

''Hey, Nami?"

The navigator blinked, glancing towards her captain. Her wooden staff was fully put together (a part of me, amusingly, reminded that she had left it that way after nailing Usopp with it), Nami holding it at her right side.

The whole of Cocoyashi had gathered behind the Straw Hats - once informed of what the Straw hats were planning o do, the villagers had insisted, despite Nami protesting for their safety. At least there were no tears, this time. The villagers were prepared to fight, sure, though only on the condition that the Straw Hats do so first, and only if said pirates lost.

''Hold on to this.'' _Plop._

Yet, despite all of that, the famous Straw Hat still ended up in Nami's hands, a thought that made me a little less worried.

The next moment was….exhilarating, despite the fact that I was only a spectator. Nearly everyone took a step back as Luffy reared back his arm; like they recognized what he was about to do. And then-

The door to Arlong Park _shattered like glass_ , the dust caking into the air as the stone doors burst inward.

'' _ARLONG!"_

Oda...is a great artist, don't get me wrong. He nailed the art, nailed the atmosphere - made One Piece a great, best-selling franchise.

Seeing things in real life is different. You can prepare as much as you like - even be successful and have minimal surprise - but it was still… _different._

Arlong was a picture of blue. I couldn't see him too well from where I was standing, the Straw Hats partially blocking my view, but I noted the expected Hawaiian, open-fronted shirt, the fuzzy black cap on his head. The shark fishman shot on his apparent throne, surrounded by an air of superiority even from where I stood. He didn't even rise from his chair when he spoke.

''Who're you, brat?"

''Monkey D. Luffy. Are you Arlong?" Luffy's sandals clacked across the concrete. A few feet behind, Usopp, Zoro, and Sanji flanked their captain.

''...Yes.'' He didn't react to Nami's presence - then again, with his attention on Luffy and Nami's position near the wall, he may not even have noticed her. ''What do you want, human?"

Luffy continued moving forwards - and unfortunately for them, a few of the Arlong Pirates tried to stop him.

''Hey, state your business, human! Arlong-sa-''

 _Thud!_

...And as a result, had their heads smashed together with a sickening crack.

''You-!" The hatred on Arlong's face was unmistakable as he rose from his chair. At least that was an admirable quality, I supposed - he took care of his own, something I could respect. ''State your business, hu-''

''Gomu Gomu no Pistol!" Abruptly, Arlong ended up flying across Arlong Park, back buried in the concrete. The shark fishman was quick to stand, kicking away the pieces of concrete that had collapsed under him, though didn't get a word in thanks to Luffy.

'' _Don't you dare make my navigator cry!"_

In any case, the fight progressed quite like that - or at least began as it would have in canon. Fishmen tried to attack Luffy, got attacked by the rest of the crew, while everyone else gasps things like 'Big Bro'' and ''no way'' continuously, and Usopp ran away with choo chasing him like a chicken with it's head cut off.

Oh, and Mohmoo was called by Hatchan, the former which ended up defeated by Luffy when he ended up _stuck in concrete-_

That was an issue, and so was Arlong lifting the captain up to toss him into the-

''Arlong, wait!"

...I...hadn't realized I had spoken until silence fell and heads turned. Probably not the smartest thing to do - the only weapon I had was one I couldn't actually use, and no good way to fight a person more than ten times my strength.

''What the hell are you doing?!" Nami hissed, clearly having the same thought process, eyes darting between Arlong and myself.

Arlong paused, though it was probably more out of surprise than any authority. The fishman was too wrapped up in his superiority complex - as long as I was human, he wouldn't care. 'And what place would a human have, ordering me, a _fishman_ around?" He scoffed.

 _Now or never._ ''You couldn't go to Sabaody Park.''

''...Excuse me?"

Truth be told, I hadn't planned on saying anything. It would be far easier to let things play out - leave the Straw Hats to do all the fighting and get it over with. True, I had been a little worried that Luffy was about to be tossed into the ocean, even with the idea that he would survive, but that wasn't all.

Seeing Arlong was different.

Arlong was the product of an endless hatred - one between fishmen and humans that he clearly had been unable to move past. It was like looking into a warped mirror - no, my experiences had never been quite that bad, but _still._

I didn't like Arlong, but I understood him.

I shifted my feet, taking a slight step forward. Not too far from the villagers, but perhaps enough to make a statement. In any case, I definitely had Arlong's attention now, and it wasn't worth backing down anyway. ''You couldn't go to Sabaody Park,'' I repeated, _just like Mey who was always kicked off the playground because the other girls didn't want her to play hopscotch-_ ''even though Queen Otohime wanted her people to see the sun. It took so long for anyone to listen to her on the surface because of her species.'' _Telling an adult never worked, because to them, it was never unfair._ ''And in the meantime, you could only watch your people suffer, even as humans walked freely with hopes and...and dreams that you deserved as much as they did.'' _Because no matter how much you tried, no one cared enough to try and change anything._

Silence. Just...silence.

It was clear that Arlong had been taken by surprise, dropping Luffy and his concrete weight. The pirate captain let out a yelp, though seemed more invested in the scene before him than freeing himself. In the background, Kuroobi, Hatchan, and the other two Straw Hats stared blankly.

''Sha...ha...Shahaha!'' Arlong laughed - though (and maybe I was reading into it too much, don't mind me) it sounded almost...forced? Either that, or it was simply him recovering from the surprise of my words, maybe both. Hard to tell. ''And what would a human like you know?''

''I've been there, Arlong.'' I replied, attempting to tread carefully, but hope that my words still hit hard enough that it mattered. ''I know how it feels - like you're powerless. Can't do anything you want. And for what? Society decided that you weren't good enough?'' I shook my head, gesturing to the villagers behind me. ''But these people? They aren't the humans who hurt you, or your people. The people of the Conami Islands didn't even...probably never even met a Fishman before. They had nothing to do with-''

I didn't even have time to blink before Arlong was in front of me. I hadn't even realized he could move that fast, despite his physiology. He had yet to take Luffy seriously, least of all right now, and I couldn't say I remembered what really happened when he _did._ In any case, it was clear just how angry he was at my words - and in no way was I remotely fast enough to avoid getting myself killed.

 _Clang!_

''H….Hatchan?!'' Nami gasped.

...what?

I slowly opened my eyes, a small gasp escaping my lips once I realized what had happened. _Hatchan_ , of all people, had crossed four of his six swords against Arlong's hands. Tilted on the blunt side, but I could see the swordsman's arms quivering under the pressure.

As much as I appreciated the help, though, the real question still remained - why would Hatchan save a girl he barely knew? Especially against Arlong - Hatchan had far too much respect for his captain, after all, at least at this point. That was more Sanji's thing - I could see the book with a leg forward, ready to jump to my rescue.

Evidently, Arlong was just as surprised. ''Hatchi? What are you doing?"

''Nyuu….Arlong-san, I respect you, I really do!" Oh, so they _do_ use honorifics- ''And the humans did it to us first, but….she's just a kid! And so was Nami, back then...''

A flash of fire passed through Arlong's eyes as I took a quiet step back, swallowing. ''Age doesn't matter. Humans are all the same - scum who scorn _us_ , the superior species! The stronger species!"

''But maybe she's right, Arlong-san!" Hatchan persisted. ''Cocoyashi was just a bunch of humans who we didn't even know before we came!"

Arlong muttered under his breath, before speaking louder. ''You've always been soft, Hatchi. Fine then,'' With merely simple motion, Arlong shoved Hatchan off him, causing the octopus fishman to stumble backwards. In the next moment, the captain nailed the octopus across his side, sending him flying. ''I'll deal with you later.''

If I wasn't at least slightly terrified (or a lot - I'm sure you can guess which, at any rate), I certainly was now. There wasn't much to stop Arlong from killing me right here and now - and, contrary to popular belief, I didn't actually want to die. Granted, it wouldn't be a big deal if I was, but the point is there. Personally, I'm not much of a death seeker - dunno about the rest of the world, though.

''Pick on someone your own size, fishface!'' _Slam!_

''It's that blonde guy….!" Nojiko exclaimed.

Sanji had jumped in not a second too soon, slamming his foot into Arlong's head after a high jump as a took a few steps back, Nami pulling me behind her. Not that the cook did any any significant damage - Arlong was quick to brush off any shock.

''You _insolent_ humans!" Arlong roared, whipping around and hitting Sanji as he had Hatchan, the airborne cook unable to dodge. The best he could do was take the hit and smash into the concrete - probably broke something, judging by all the cracked stone and dust that rose from the wreck. Even with the durability of a mainstream anime character, it had to have hurt.

I couldn't think about that, though. Now, Arlong was bearing down on the blonde chef, ready to-

 _Bang!_

''What the-?!"

''Owwwckkkk…''

I...wasn't sure what happened next. One second, I was pretty sure Arlong was about to kill Sanji, much to my panic. The next, light assailed my vision - and judging by the rest of the echoed cries behind me, I wasn't the only one with my retinas being burned out.

I mean, who needs to see, anyway?

...Right, dumb joke. I won't go for it again.

It took several moments for my vision to clear - and even when I opened my eyes, black spots danced in my line of sight, leaving images of Arlong and Sanji blurry and so, it wasn't hard for me to slowly process what had just happened, or at least a part of it, judging by the _giant stick in my hand_ and half-opened nut shells in the ground. Most notably, I didn't feel the bracelet around my wrist, which meant…

I blinked a few times.

 _All natural flash-bangs. Deku Nuts._

...How did that happen? Starting this morning, I hadn't even been able to get the spear to appear, much less do anything - yet, now, both had happened at onc-

 _Slam!_ No time to think about it now - concrete dust sprayed against the top of my head as I closed my eyes again, stepping back into the crowd of villagers. Better be safe than sorry, especially since I didn't know what the hell was going on and choking on dust. I heard Arlong crying out, too, though, again, choking - couldn't put too much attention into that sort of thing.

Soon enough, though, the dust cleared, and I could see and breathe clearly. I was semi-surprised to see Luffy standing a few feet in front of Arlong, who had turned away from both Sanji and the villagers to face the opposing pirate captain. The cook himself had managed to stand up, leaning against a wall for support.

''That's….'' Genzo breathed, a few feet away from me. ''That boy, with the straw hat…. Just smashed his feet into Arlong! Concrete and everything!''

''Guess those guys really are that strong…'' Nojiko added.

...I think it was then, that it clicked. Not just for me, but the villagers of Cocoyashi Village, too.

Arlong didn't know what he was doing when he challenged Monkey D. Luffy.

* * *

Luffy's fight with Arlong had yet to reach it's climax. True, it was definitely getting there - but from where I stood, a majority of the battle so far had been a brawl where the two captains tossed fists and words together. Usopp had come back a few minutes ago, and Zoro had defeated Kuroobi in Sanji's stead (not that either of them saw it as that, really, a few annoyed words of snark being exchanged between them in the meantime).

 _SLAM!_

Luffy's next punch connected with Arlong's chest, sending the shark fishman flying into the tower behind him. The blue-skinned fishman stood up, cracking his knuckles and kicking away the rubble. "Shahahaha….you're not bad, for a pathetic human. But you shouldn't have challenged me."

Luffy blinked, as though the very thought confused him. Then again, this being Luffy, it wouldn't be that doubtful… "Huh?"

"Do you understand how angry I am?" Arlong continued, as though Luffy hasn't spoken."The _seething rage_ I feel after I've seen my beloved brethren crushed by pathetic insects? Act like you're on _our_ level and _corrupting_ our lives?" He shook his head, his words giving me the impression that he was talking about _me_ , interpreting my words and Hatchan's actions as something else. It gave me a sour taste in my mouth - even so, it wasn't worth much. At this point, Arlong's superiority complex was so deeply ingrained that anything short of Fisher Tiger being revived would get him to rethink himself. " _You human are a pathetic inferior race!"_ He roared, charging towards Luffy. "Humans aren't like fishman! Our gifts were given to us - humans cannot even survive under the water the way we can!" the fishman had yanked his teeth out of his mouth, causing most everyone to gasp in surprise. "All alone, what can all mere _human_ do against me?"

Luffy reaches down, metal scratching against stone.

"Huh…?" Nojiko muttered, blinking in surprise.

"Does he know how to use a sword?" Sanji wondered, a recently lit cigarette hanging out of his mouth, and Zoro giving a small grunt.

It was a definite no.

Luffy had picked two generic blades off the ground, yes, but that didn't mean he was using them properly. For the most part, all he was doing was swinging the swords at Arlong, no technique involved.

"Do you even know how to use those?" Arlong scoffed, biting into the blades and reducing them to smithereens. I could see bits of metal flying towards the air and water. ''I tire of your stupid games, hu-''

''Shut up!" Luffy yelled, pin-wheeling his arm and slamming it into Arlong, causing the fishman to go skidding back. ''Of _course_ I don't know how to use swords!'' His arm snapped back into him, thanks to the rubber sentence on his body. ''I can't navigate! I can't cook! I can't lie!"

''I wouldn't be able to survive without my friends to help me!''

''Shahaha….'' Arlong snorted, having straightened his posture while Luffy was speaking. ''At least you're honest about how worthless you are. Must be hard for your crew, dealing with an incompetent captain like yourself.'' He shook his head. ''What can you do, all alone?"

Luffy gnashed his teeth and cracked his knuckles, his voice giving me the impression that he must be smiling, knowing him.

''I can beat you.''

 **Word Count: 4874**

 **Eh, I had my issues with this chapter, but it came out longer than anything else. I had to split it up since I felt that some scene changes were too drastic to feel like they belonged in the same chapter, anyway.**

 **In any case, I'm sure you must have a question or two. Why is no one questioning the fact that Petra has a giant stick? Why is Nojiko/Genzo/maybe Nako not asking more questions about her falling from the sky? Etc, etc.**

 **Don't worry - I'll be getting to that in the next chapter, or maybe the one right afterwards, but definitely soon!**

 **On that note, please leave a review! They always help me out and let me see how I can improve in my writing.**

 **...Also, is it just me, or am I not he only one to have formatting issues on ?**


	5. 4 - Of Dreams and Drama

**Whoops, this took a while. Oh well.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece.**

* * *

It hadn't been that long ago since the battle finished. Something around a few hours - i didn't really count, so close enough.

The fight between Arlong and Luffy had gone just about the same as it had in canon. There hadn't been any noticeable differences - Luffy had crashed into Arlong Park, destroyed Nami's old room, beat Arlong, and declared Nami a friend.

All in all, it could have been worse, what with my interference, so I was thankful that it wasn't.

Anyway, it hadn't taken Nezumi long to arrive, only to get his just desserts. The Arlong Pirates weren't fortunate enough not to get apprehended afterwards - with no one exempt. I had only been able to slip a single prisoner a ''thank you'' - I'm sure it's not that hard to guess who. The octopus fishman only offered a mournful smile and four simple words:

''Tell Nami I'm sorry.''

I only had time for a nod when he had been escorted away by Nezumi's lackeys.

Once both the Arlong PIrates and the Marines were off the island, the party began. It hadn't taken long - understandably so, considering the circumstances they had lived in for eight years. I took the time to avoid anyone who knew me - I didn't doubt that, say, Nojiko or Genzo would confront me during the three-day party. They deserved answers, considering I had appeared out of nowhere, but I couldn't say I had any.

Well, technically, I could, but telling someone you were from a different world because a random lady did it for the funzies never blew over well. I was also never going to use ''funzies'' in an actual sentence.

''So this is where you've been?"

...Hm. I didn't even last a day. Then again, Nojiko knew the area better than I did, considering this was her hometown - it was just unfortunate that I had little time to think.

I had settled myself in an alleyway - still well-lit thanks to the nearby party. It was near the edges - not too much noise, but it was certainly more than background music. During that time, I had taken a moment to examine the spear, considering I hadn't been in eminent danger any longer.

The spear looked to be a few inches ahead of me - meaning it was more than five feet long, considering I was an inch less. Despite it's appearance - really, it _looked_ like a stick with a few twigs and leaves - it was called a spear for a reason: the branching ends were sharp enough to cut someone with a swing. Useful, if I wanted to gut someone. Other than that, it was far lighter than it seemed - otherwise, I probably wouldn't be able to swing it around so easily.

In any case, that was what I had been doing when Nojiko found me, the blue-haired tangerine farmer settling into a seat on a crate across from me.

I shrugged. ''I'm not...I don't know many here. Didn't want to hang around.''

Nojiko nodded, appearing to accept the answer before glancing at the spear, which was leaning against the wall next me, ''And the giant stick?"

The only she received was another shrug. ''No idea.'' At least this time, I was being honest - I never felt good about lying to others, but sometimes, it was necessary.

''You...don't know where the stick that materialized in your hand came from?"

...Eh, mostly honest. That would have to be good enough.

''Trust me, I would have told you if I knew.''

The bluenette gave me a scrutinizing look, before sighing. Either she decide it wasn't worth it, or thought I was telling the truth, moving on to continue the game of Twenty Questions.

''What do you plan on doing now?"

I glanced towards her, before my eyes slid to the heart of the party. Like any other _One Piece_ fan, I had considered asking Luffy to join the Straw Hats. Unlike most fans, I had quickly dismissed the idea. I was dumb, but not _that_ dumb - I doubted Luffy would accept, and even if he did, that wasn't even thinking of the rest of the Grand Line. I could defend myself just about as well as a snail (or worse - those things typically had shells), and that didn't even factor in sea kings or storms.

''Mm….'' Anyway, Nojiko needed an answer, so there wasn't a point in being silent. It's not like I needed to cover anything up, anyway.

''I…. Don't know,'' I admitted,''I don't mean to burden you or anything, so I'll try to find some place to go, but-''

Suddenly, I was interrupted by the bluenette, who rolled her eyes with a laugh. ''Oh, so that's what you've been brooding about?" She shook her head. ''Look, if you really need a place, then… well, you've been pretty decent around the house. As long as you pull your weight, anyway.'' She added, like an afterthought, though I barely noted that part of the statement - I was still processing the offer, myself.

To me, it wasn't out of _character_ , necessarily, just surprising that Nojiko would extend such a kindness. It was too late to reply, though, the bluenette standing and grabbing the mug she had left on the crate.

''Just think about it, alright?" Nojiko said, already beginning to leave. ''I think you'd fit in fine.'' And with that, the tangerine farmer stepped into the crowd, soon disappearing from sight.

...Well, _that_ happened. I was still a little shaken - not in a bad way, but I hadn't really expected that to happen. Nojiko had been kind enough to hide me, but I had assume it was so the Arlong Pirates wouldn't rain punishment upon Cocoyashi Village. Now that they were free, I would have thought she was done associating with me. Apparently not - but as much as I disliked leeching off of her, it was at least an option. I doubted I could pull off anything on my own at the moment, in the world where I had no solid ground.

So, Nojiko's offer ended up being one of the interesting things of that night. Another was getting enlisted by Doctor Nako - he had no issues stitching up injuries (my lips quirked up in thought - I was fully aware of the lecture the doctor had given the Straw Hats for lacking a doctor), but instead used me as a messenger. Or, something along those lines - sometimes I was grabbing supplies, or going off to find someone for one reason or another. It gave me something to do, at least - I could avoid thinking about Calypso, the book, or the fact that the spear how somehow magically returned to being a bracelet around my wrist.

It was later that night when I was interrupted, carrying a basket of antiseptic and bandages from the village storage.

''Oh, hey! You're that girl!" It was none other than Monkey D. Luffy, munching on what appeared to be some kind of drumstick. Not that it was surprising, considering his tastes. ''Thanks for bringing Usopp! That helped a lot!"

I moved around the pirate captain, who's sandals clicked on the ground as he followed. ''It wasn't a problem,'' I replied. ''It seemed like you could use the help.'' Keep the answers simple - even if Luffy wasn't the most perceptive in certain cases, I had no plans to slip up.

He blinked owlishly, swallowing. ''Oh, yeah, how'd you know?''

I paused, having not expected the question, before shrugging and continuing. ''Nojiko told me.'' actually, speaking of Nojiko, why hadn't she asked that, too? Why I had known where Usopp was, what to do? Shouldn't she be suspicious? I filed the information away, feeling as though I would have to prepare for more questions later. ''Probably not a good idea not to do something when I could have, you know?"

Luffy's grin widened, if that was even possible. ''Well, thanks!'' he said cheerfully, before pausing, brow furrowing in concentration. It was a little surprising - I didn't fit that with him unless he was at the brink of death. ''...Uh...what's your name?"

''Petra,'' I said, rolling my eyes as we approached Doctor Nako's office, unsurprised.

He brightened, nodding and tossing the drumstick….somewhere. Hm. Hope it didn't hit someone. ''Right! Petra! Thanks.'' He said, beaming. As I opened the door to the office, I was surprised to see Zoro lying on one of the beds,chest bandaged over. With how late it was, I would have thought the swordsman would have gotten up and started drinking somewhere. On that note, Doctor Nako was nowhere to be seen, making me wondered if he had stepped out for one reason or another.

The green-haired swordsman cracked an eye open, just as the door closed behind me and Luffy. ''Oh. It's just you guys.'' And with that, the eye closed again.

I shrugged it off, putting the basket of medical supplies on the counter, unsure of where Nako would have wanted them.

Luffy gave a wave, noisily digging into his other drumstick. ''Hey, Zoro! Did Doctor Snacko finish stitching you up?"

I cringed a little at the misname, though Zoro groggily replied to his captain. ''Yeah.''

Luffy seemed to have minimal issue with Zoro's short responses, sitting himself down on the bed beside the swordsman. ''Cool! Found Petta, by the way.''

I sighed, deciding I should probably correct him. ''It's Petra. Why were you looking for me?"

The captain swiveled around, messing up the sheets on the bed as he tossed a clean bone out the window. I was pretty sure I heard someone yell - not that Luffy paid attention to that. I doubted it was all that significant to him. ''I want you to join my crew!''

Oh, was that it? Unsurprising, considering it was Luffy, because he wasn't the most predictable-

''...Wait, _what_?!" My hand hovered over the doorknob, as I turned to face the captain, eyes widening in surprise.

''I want you to join my crew!" Luffy said cheerfully - and from the way Zoro cracked an eye open, I realized the swordsman had been aware of Luffy's attention, too. ''Snacko-''

'' _Nako_ -'' I corrected, though Luffy went on as though he hadn't heard.

''-said that you just appeared out of nowhere yesterday. And then you helped us out - since you don't really have anywhere to go, you _have_ to join!" The pirate captain seemed proud of his use of logic - ignoring the fact that we had literally just met, I had helped them all of _one_ time.

''That's a….'' I trailed off. ''Pretty big lapse in logic, you know?"

Luffy shrugged. ''But you're coming, right?"

I was cut giving him the dryest look in the world or rolling my eyes in exasperation. I chose neither and settled for twisting the doorknob. ''No.'' I said flatly, stepping outside. I wasn't lucky enough to hear the door slam - Luffy was quick to bound out after me. Though, I thought I heard rubber snap, and the thought of Luffy getting stuck in the door was a little more amusing than my current situation.

''Oh, come on!" He whined.

''You sound like a petulant child.''

''What's pettlement? Does that mean you're going to join?"

''No.''

And thus, the conversation went on this way for a while - me weaving my way through the crowd, and giving Luffy either a) a very bland answer, or b) a very sarcastic answer that he usually failed to understand. I'm sure we would make an excellent comedy routine.

It was nearly _thirty minutes_ of this that I began making my way to Nojiko's house, resigned that I would be unable to lose him in the crowd or some useless distraction. Not that I was too surprised - he was stubborn, but it had been worth a try. Geez, I'd probably have to deal with this for the next two nights, too….

Time for the logical approach, with a 1% chance of working.

''Look, I don't know why you're pestering me. I can't help you. I wouldn't survive on the Grand Line, for starters - can't fight well. And it's not like I'd be useful on board - other than me having next to no strength, I don't have any ability that would land me an official job like the way you have a navigator or cook, and that doesn't even put that I have no reason to go out to sea.''

Luffy frowned. ''Mm…'' he hummed. ''I didn't really get any of that, but I don't think that matters. I want you to join, so you're going to join! We can figure out all that stuff later!"

I sighed. Again, worth a try, and no one said I thought it would work. ''That's nice of you to say, but there's no point. I can't help you.'' Repetition was also unlikely to work - still, Monkey D. Luffy had a way of making even the most calm desperate.

The captain pouted. Despite towering at least 8 inches above me, he looked much more childish and immature. ''You totally can!"

''Act your age. I said no, didn't I?...'' I paused, before shaking my head. Dark at the moment, Nojiko's house was in sight. ''...nevermind, actually.''

''You're going to join?"

''I- _no._ I meant my...earlier comment. About age. Ignore what I said.'' I had disliked all the pressure adults ladled on me back in my world for being ''the next generation''. No point in giving someone else that treatment. ''Still not joining, though.''

Luffy seemed crestfallen as I opened the door. Unlocked, thankfully, otherwise that'd be awkward.

''...Huh.'' He squinted, actually pausing in his verbal assault. ''Tangerines….''

''...Something wrong?"

''...Is this where Nami lives?"

I blinked. The question was surprising, to say the least - then again, despite appearances, Luffy was more perceptive than he let on. By how much, though….

Mm, I'll think about that at a later date.

''Yeah. Her sister Nojiko, as well.'' I opened the door, flicking on the light switch. It was a little surprising they had them, almost - the light switches, I mean. Not that I really had a good estimation of how technologically advanced this word was. I had yet to see a machine gun, but cyborgs and sea trains were a few years ahead of us, as far as I knew. In comparison to prosthetics, anyway. ''Why do you ask?"

Luffy shrugged, stepping past me as I quietly closed the door. He was surveying the place, I realized - the plain walls, clean kitchen. The only family picture I had seen was in Nojiko's room, though that was probably a precaution. I imagine that might change, eventually, now that the village was free.

''...I like this better than that other room,'' He finally said. ''That dumb one, with all the maps…''

I didn't reply, moving to the kitchen and grabbing a glass from a cabinet, swallowing somewhat nervously. I knew what he was talking about, but it wouldn't do well to show that. ''Maps?"

He nodded, though before he had the chance to reply, the door swung open with a thud.

''Luffy?" Nami's short, orange hair was a giveaway to her identity, as was the tattoo on her shoulder. It was different than Arlong's elaborate design - maybe that was where Nako had been? ''And you're… that kid that was with Usopp…''

Luffy turned around, his now-cheerful demeanor giving the indication that he must have a more positive facial expression. ''Nami!" he greeted his navigator. ''Whatcha doing here?"

Nami snorted, shutting the door behind her. ''I should be asking you the same thing. Didn't expect to see the lights on, either.''

Luffy stuck his tongue on, placing himself on one of the chairs at the rectangular table in the center. It was odd, I reflected, to think that earlier, I had been having tea with Chabo, Nojiko, and Usopp. It didn't take long for things to change. ''I was trying to get Petra to join! She's being stubborn, though…''

Nami's lips quirked upwards in amusement as she crossed the room, sitting across from Luffy and stealing a glance at me. She probably saw Luffy attempting to get a 12-year-old to assimilate into the crew - not for the first time, I would bet. ''Oh?''

''I'm not interested.'' I said dryly, turning to fill the glass I had taken with some water. ''I appreciate the offer, but I can't see myself as a pirate. '' I wouldn't be useful to them, anyway.

Dead weight was a more accurate term, for someone with minimal combat experience and no job to offer.

Nami gave an amused giggle, deciding to step in as Luffy opened his mouth. ''Your name's Petra? … I appreciate what you did, earlier.'' her expression became a little more serious - solemn, almost. Not quite. ''I was angry at you, for a moment, but...it helped. More than you realize.''

I paused, before nodding. ''You're welcome,'' I replied, too surprised to offer anything other than a standard response. I guess her thanks was polite - kept her from stabbing herself. Not that she knew it, and I had no plans to tell her.

''Actually, there was something I wanted to ask you about,'' She added, after a moment. In the background, I noted Luffy's eyes darting between us. Strangely enough, he was keeping of track of what I thought he would interpret as a boring conversation.

''What is it?" I replied, taking a sip of water and putting the glass down.

''When you...talked, to Arlong,'' For a second, I wondered why she was even saying anything - Arlong was, understandably, not that happy a topic to go over. Why was she forcing herself to, when the fishman had brought forth such horrible memories? ''It surprised me. I've never...seen anyone talk to a fishman like that. Like they had some sort of reason, other than to rant about their superiority, for doing what they did?'' The navigator leaned against her chair. ''If you don't mind, I'm a little curious.''

I swallowed, glad that I wasn't holding the glass. I would have to tread carefully - if my answer bothered Nami… well, I had seen what she was capable, of, even this early in the timeline. If she could cause damage to the likes of Luffy and Zoro, then it would be plenty damaging to me, someone who was unlikely to be able to take a hit. ''It's….'' I bit my lip. ''Nami, have you heard of Fishman Island?"

''Fishman Island?" She echoed. ''...Once or twice. Where fishmen and mermaids usually live, right?"

I nodded. ''Well…. There's a reason they usually stay there. It's...it's true that, on average, fishmen are ten times stronger than humans, and mermaids are the fastest creatures in the sea. But… on land, most humans aren't all that accepting, if you get what I mean. A fishman or mermaid on land…'' I skipped over the part about slavery, deciding that Nami's recent situation might cut a little too deep for that. ''They'll say the worst things. Calling them monsters, throwing rocks, scorning them for even being born….'' for a moment, it sounded familiar to me. School and home weren't all that different, until I moved. For a while, I hadn't understood why my parents wanted a place without neighbors. Mealena was such a giveaway of a name, and that didn't even put in my middle or last. I had tried shortening it to Mey, but teachers wouldn't know that on the first day of roll call.

''A-Anyway,'' I said, continuing, careful not to show too much on my face. ''Arlong...he wanted revenge. What he did was wrong - I'm not trying to say otherwise, at all…. He was just pretty damaged, in the end, and took it to the extremes where he shouldn't have. Most people do, as far as I know. Fishmen aren't any different.'' I turned around, finishing off the remaining water in my glass before putting it in the sink, just as Nami spoke up.

''Did that...happen to you?"

I glanced behind me, shrugging. ''I'm not secretly a different species, as far as I know. And never to that extreme. But...where I come from, what I am is a little….odd. Different. School wasn't exactly fun for me, and that's a bit of an understatement. So, I get where they came from. At least a little. Not that it makes much of a difference, in the end….''

After a few moments, with me drying off the glass I had rinsed, the navigator responded. ''I… never knew that, honestly.'' she admitted. ''Still hate them, but…'' She trailed off.

''Perspective?"

''Sure,'' she said, seemingly relieved that I had filled in for her.

It was another few minutes of silence. As I finished drying the glass and putting it back in the cabinet it had come from, I realized it was a little surprising - even Luffy wasn't saying anything. Considering what the last thirty minutes of my life had been, it was definitely a rarity.

Honestly, I couldn't really blame Nami for her hatred. Didn't care, either - whatever Arlong's motives were, how he treated Nami and the Conami Islands was wrong. Still, though… as long as she didn't hate all Fishmen and mermaids in existence for it, then I had no issue. Besides, in canon, the navigator _had_ forgiven Jinbe. It made her a better person than some, considering few would have that strength.

''Hey, Petra…'' Luffy spoke up. ''Anything you wanna do? Really? 'Cause coming out to sea would be really fun!"

"You're still on that?" then again, the rubber captain was known for his tenacity. In the end, I wasn't all that surprised. Hadn't even been a full day yet, after all. ''Not...not really, no.'' Of course, I had thought about it while listlessly responding to Luffy earlier in the night, but the cons outweighed the pros. I'd probably end up dead, long before I could _change_ anything. Even something as horrible as the causes for Ace's death…

Someone like me would never be able to stay with the Straw Hats, let alone help anyone.

''Come on! There's gotta be something!"

I exhaled, leaning my back against the opposite counter, facing both Nami and Luffy. The former seemed a little too amused at my predicament than I would like. The latter, on the other hand…

He seemed bright, as usual. Unsurprising, what with the cheerful and idiotic persona he carried, cheeks puffed up in a rather accurate imitation of a 5-year-old. Still, though…

I shook away those thoughts. There was always more than meets the eye to most people, but I had to think about the present, for the time being. It took a surprising amount of concentration to hold a conversation with Luffy without breaking one's brain. ''If I say something, will that…'' Mm, not sure if he would understand placate. Better replace that with something else '' If I say something, will that make you quit it?"

''Eh...maybe?'' He shrugged, the picture of nonchalance.

Still, ''maybe'' was better than 'no''. I had tried everything else, and that ended with failure. Might as well give it a shot, though I knew not to expect much.

''Mm.'' I crossed my arms below my chest. ''I lack a dream, simple as that. No dream, no reason to go out to sea. Not much of a person here to want, anyway - I'd like to think I gave you some pretty good reasons that I'd just be dead weight. So, I would quit while I'm ahead, if I were you. I wouldn't be of much use.''

For a moment, there was silence. I couldn't tell what either Nami or Luffy were thinking - I might know them through a TV show, but now that they were real, I didn't want to presume more than surface traits.

Luffy, once again, puffed up his cheeks as he responded. ''Eh… I don't really get it, but I think you're better than you're saying. I mean, you did all that stuff with Usopp, so you gotta be nice. And Nami isn't good at fighting, but she's on the crew! So, I don't really get what you're on.''

...Really, knowing Luffy, I shouldn't have been so surprised. The pirate captain was stubborn to a fault - and judging by the quirk of Nami's lips, she had expected as much just by being here, as well. But, well, _still_. No one said that sort of thing to anyone, in my experience, especially not some dumb stuck-up Asian girl. Least of all if they barely knew her, too, regardless of whatever she had done for them.

''...You're the tenacious sort, aren't you?" I said, sighing, idly sliding my feet against the tiled floor. ''I've never seen anyone say something that kind to a stranger.'' _Let alone me_.

Luffy pouted. ''I dunno what that means, but yeah! So you're gonna join now, right?"

Weighing my options - Luffy certainly was stubborn, that was for sure. Still, though, if he was that insistent…

''...Let me think about it. I'll tell you whenever this.. Victory party ends. Fine by you?"

Luffy's grin widened. ''Fine by me! Make sure you think about it, 'kay?'' With that, he jumped off his chair, leaving the door open to the night.

* * *

 **Word Count: 4200**

 **Don't forget to leave a comment - they always help me improve as a writer!**


	6. 5 - Of Wants and Wishes

Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece.

 **Chapter Five: Of Wants and Wishes**

I sat facing Bellemere's tangerine grove. There was a certain serenity to it all - the outline of the trees, the whispering chill of the wind, the dark night…

I bet there was a park back home that looked the same. Not that I would get to see it - like some sort of cowardly idiot, the book still sat in my bag, unopened since the first night. It was the third, now, and really, I should be seeking out Luffy and telling him one thing or another...

I had yet to make my decision. Weighing pros and cons was easy, but I didn't yet know what I wanted for myself, either. Being so emotionally unconnected was a flaw of mine, one that I was fully willing to admit.

''I'm thinking the party'll be over soon. It's been a few nights, you know?" Sandals scuffed against the dirt, making me quick to respond to the familiar voice.

''Hey, Nojiko.'' I glanced to the side, as the blue-haired tangerine farmer sat down on the bench next to me.

''Nami and I used to do this with our foster mother,'' She said, after a few moments of silence. ''When we couldn't sleep, we would sit, and watch the trees…''

''Before Arlong?"

''Before Arlong.'' Another pause, before Nojiko picked up again. ''Nami told me about what happened. With the boy with the straw hat?"

Clearly, she was prompting me for confirmation. I nodded. ''...Yeah. Offered me to join his crew. He was...stubborn about it too, I guess.''

''What'd you tell him?"

I swallowed, soundlessly tapping my fingers against my leg. It was a nervous habit - least I wasn't pacing, at the moment. Contrary to my usually serious nature, I was no fan of sitting still if I wasn't doing something. ''I would think about it.''

Nojiko hummed, her shadowy outline standing up. A second later, I heard her strike a match, the lantern hanging by the window lighting up with flame. "Have you?"

''No.'' Not as much as I should have, anyway. Wished to.

''Mm.'' Nojiko hummed, sitting down next to me. Another few minutes were spent under silence, other than the whistle of the window and crackling of the fire, before the bluenette spoke up again. ''You know, you remind me of Nami, almost.''

My surprise must have been evident as I turned to her, since she chuckled, crossing her legs. ''A girl who fell from the sky? Ridiculous. And a bunch of old scars, to boot. Nami had those. You won't even talk about where you come from - not trying to contact family or friends, either. And then, that whole mess with Long Nose that you became involved with, or that… that _stick_ that appeared out of nowhere?" Nojiko shook her head, the mirth in her eyes suddenly missing. Still, she wasn't looking at me, directing eyes towards the tangerine field instead. ''You're a good actress, Petra, but Nami tried to the same thing with me. Maybe if it was someone else, you would've been able to hide it. But I'm not - and I'm aware that there's something going on with you that I don't know about.''

….Well, _that_ explained a lot. I had wondered why Nojiko hadn't questioned my further when she had the chance. She hadn't really said it out loud, but at least it was proved correct that I hadn't been as perfect as I was hoping for.

''...Why didn't you say anything, then? You could've called me out for it all.'' For all she knew, I could have been a threat. It was confusing, why she wouldn't confront me with that in mind.

''I could've,'' She acknowledged, leaning against to the side, against the armrest. ''I was going to. But then Nami came back, and I lost the chance. And then, the way you spoke to Arlong…''

"People seem to be bringing that up often,'' I noted, recalling my earlier conversation a couple of nights ago with Nami and Luffy.

''Can you blame them?" She replied. ''No one's made a fishman pause like that, before. And no one in the village has ever been defended by one, either. You're a bit of an oddity.'' She shook her head, choosing to continue on before I could reply. ''Either way...I was planning on saying something, if I'm going to be honest. But, after what you said… you remind me too much of Nami, back then."

''...And, what was she like? Back then?"

''Reserved. Faking every smile she could. Coming home bloodied and injured. And lying to me, too. It hurt, at first. But it took some time, for me to get it. If she had talked about it, I imagine that would have been quite painful, that reminder, when her life was already a mess.'' The tattooed farmer sent a glance at me, before tilting her head back towards the groves. ''So, I decided not to. If Nami wasn't comfortable talking about it to her own sister, how could I ask that of a stranger?"

I closed my eyes. For a few moments, there was once again silence, as I mulled over Nojiko's words. I didn't know how to respond, really. I hadn't expected to be compared to Nami, and I hadn't expected Nojiko to leave the matter up in the air. Even after hearing her reasons, the entire situation felt as bizarre as me being in another world. Back on earth, everything was much more black and white, and much more hostile, as far as anyone was concerned. So much as being allowed to think of the gray was…

''My offer still stands, by the way. But if that kid with the straw hat wants you to join his crew…'' I opened my eyes, glancing at Nojiko, who's gaze was still trained on the tangerine trees. ''He helped Nami. Maybe he can do the same for you.''

Now, I wasn't expecting _that_. Nor did I expect the tangerine farmer to burst out in laughter, shaking her head. ''The look on your face is hilarious, Petra,'' she said, quieting down as I schooled myself into something more suitable. ''Then again, I suppose it's a little rare for you to show anything other than blank emotion.'' The bluenette stood up, beginning to walk towards the door. ''I'm going to bed. It's your choice. Whichever is better for you, Petra.''

I heard the door close, though not lock. Nojiko probably wanted to make sure I could come in, assuming I decided to. Ignoring the fact she had found something about the whole thing amusing, she had a point, too.

 _Whichever is better for you, Petra._ I had to make a decision for myself, and truth be told, I found that a little difficult. On Earth, I pretty much had everything decided for me - everyone at school thought I was too smart or too stuck-up, or just a complete weirdo, while my parents were set on me being like my sister. It wasn't like I couldn't make a decision for myself, don't get me wrong, just that usually, I didn't have to. The times I did extended to science projects and orchestra. Or basic survival, but that was a given.

None of this gave me any help. On a basic level, it was easy. If I went with the Straw Hats, I would probably die, but I had the chance to change things. Maybe for better, maybe for worse, if I had the right to even make those decisions. If I didn't, it meant things _wouldn't_ get worse. Events like useless death and destruction would still happen, but it would never be worse than that. I couldn't mess something up. Life in Cocoyashi would probably be pretty quiet, and I could keep tabs on the Straw Hats through newspaper if I was curious. Not like I wanted anyone to die, but I might accidentally kill a hundred more.

I wasn't sure if either appealed to me.

So, I sat. Thinking for a while, I guess. Really, I should have been getting some rest - it was nearly midnight. But most of my nights had been restless while inside Nojiko's house, falling asleep only to wake up later. Even if I tried, I doubt I would get more than a few hours of sleep. Sleeping in different places had always bothered me, considering I was the stuffed-animal type of kid and had no idea if someone was going to jump me in a hotel room.

Yep, that wasn't paranoid at all. Still, it didn't change the current choice I had to make, that I didn't to think about but had an approaching deadline anyway. When I had told Luffy I would tell him? Tonight? Tomorrow morning? It'd be nice if I could just plug in some earbuds, listen to some music. Not that I had access to any of those things, anyway, but it was useful to putting me somewhere else if I could get absorbed.

"Hey, Petra!"

Though, even if I had a device, I doubted Luffy would let that happen.

''Luffy. It's...late.'' or early, wasn't really sure. ''I would have thought you'd be asleep.''

The rubber man shrugged, hopping onto the armrest and balancing. "I was, but we still had your promise. You thought about it, so you're gonna join now, right?"

I glanced away from the pirate captain, finding the tangerine groves much easier to look at it. ''I don't know.'' Blunt, brutal, honest. No point in lying, and even if I had, my decision would have been made.

''Huh?" I had the impression that Luffy had tilted his head to the side, voice laced with confusion. ''But you said-''

''I know. I've just been thinking, is all.'' I heard the rubber man jump onto the ground, before settling himself next to me.

''You think too much. Just join! Come with us!"

''...It's not so easy, Luffy.''

''Why not? It'd be fun!"

...It was odd. As opposed to anyone else I'd ever talked to in my life, Luffy had what I assumed was a lower IQ. Conversations with him were blunt and simple. Getting philosophical would never help him understand, but certain things were easier - bland answers were of no issue, to him. In a way, it was a relief, not having to find some way to explain everything I did, twist it so that no one would get any grief over it. There was a certain beauty to simplicity, it seemed. Was that why he managed to gain so many followers? Was that simplicity the source of his charisma?

"It's just that…'' I paused for a moment, leaning against the side of the bench, away from the pirate captain. "I mean, it's just, thinking about it. I don't know why you're so persistent, in the first place. Why do you even want me around? You don't even know me, unless we've met prior to you coming to Cocoyashi.'' And I knew that wasn't the case - I didn't exist in this universe before yesterday. "And, as I've repeatedly stated, there's no position on your ship that I could take that would be of any use."

''So?" He said, as though disregarding everything that I'd said.

Typical.

"You don't know if I could be a threat, or something. Secretly an assassin trying to kill you? Some ridiculous conspiracy?"

"What's a con-spec-a-see?" He blinked, owlishly, tilting his head to the side as I turned to look at him. "Ooh! Is it a special type of meat? Can I eat it?!" A childish curiosity had entered his eyes - he might have been 17, but I wouldn't blame anyone for thinking he was younger.

''No, definitely not edible,'' I said dryly, lips tilting slightly upwards in amusement. "You're really set on this, aren't you?"

''Yep!' he grinned.

''...I don't know how to fight, you know. Grand Line's dangerous. That spear - the stick, in your eyes - I don't know how to make it appear again. I have next to no purpose in life. I don't even know what possible position I could take on your ship. Are you seriously okay with that?"

There was a minute's pause - like the pirate captain was actually thinking my words over. Either that, or he had zoned out - I had no idea which was more likely. "Yeah. That's fine. We can figure it out.'' Well, at least he acknowledged my points, to some extent. Better than disregarding them, I supposed. Had he already begun prioritizing the wellbeing of his crew, instead of constantly believing they would be alright? Had that always been the case, or did it change, when he was growing up? "I'm not gonna make you join if you don't wanna, Petra. But, uh…'' he scrunched his face together. ''Shanks told me pirates make their choices for themselves, so,'' he shrugged. ''Your choice. Wanna come?"

Hmph. It was annoying, that I was too tired to attempt to pick him apart. I highly doubted ''idiotic and simple'' was the entire scope of his personality. I exhaled.

"Fine…. Try not to regret it.''

The next morning, I wondered whether I had been drunk, or something. After I had eventually agreed to joining his crew - _my god, I had just become a pirate_ \- Luffy had bounded off, pleased as punch. Afterwards, I headed straight inside, pretty much collapsing on Nojiko's couch. I was sore, and tired, given everything that had happened. Though I was less than comfortable at Nojiko's, recent events had made me exhausted.

That, and, you know, lack of sleep, but I figured all highschoolers had that issue. No worries.

In any case, the sleep had been black and dreamless, a welcome change from how the week had gone, and even though it was only a few hours, it was better than I had gotten before.

"Ready to go?" Nojiko now stood at the door, holding a dark blue backpack to her side.

I slung the messenger bag across my shoulder, glancing towards the hallway, then back at Nojiko. The light under the bathroom door was still on - Nami. "Isn't Nami still getting ready?"

The bluenette shrugged, before holding out the bag in her hands. "She always takes a few minutes," she replied. "Anyway, this is for you. It's not much, just a few changes of clothes, water bottle, that sort of thing, but I would hate to send you away without anything, you know?"

''Uh, well-''

Nojiko rolled her eyes, tossing the bag at me. Thankfully not commenting on the way I fumbled with it in my attempt to catch it, she raised her voice, directing it to the hall behind me. "Nami! Did you want us to wait, or should we meet you by your ship?"

''I'm fine! Go on without me!"

"If you're sure," Nojiko replied, glancing back at me. "You have everything, Petra?"

I nodded, slipping my hand into my pockets, feeling the chill of metal. ''I'm ready to go." I replied, following Nojiko outside.

I had… _mixed_ feelings about Cocoyashi. It was homey, secluded, and the people were friendly, something that I appreciated. But as much as I was grateful for Nojiko's help, I wasn't familiar with everyone in town, and it wasn't as though I was here long enough for it to feel like home. Still, it meant something to everyone else who lived here, and after ten years, it was finally free from Arlong. The villagers had all been innocent, so, to be honest, it was kind of a relief to see that they weren't under threat. That, and, well, if Cocoyashi hadn't been here, I would have fallen into the ocean and drowned, so that too.

"So, what convinced you?"

I adjusted my grip on the backpack, hearing my feet scuffling against the dirt as I walked. "I appreciate the offer you gave me, but I….'' I trailed off for a moment, before continuing. "I don't think I could stay here."

Nojiko gave a light laugh. "What, too boring for you?"

"Well," I replied, swallowing lightly. "Too quiet. Where I live, it was common for someone to run through the neighborhood with a chainsaw. Can't really get the same experience here, I don't think."

"...Are you being serious? Where the hell did you _live?"_

I shrugged. "An island. Kansas isn't as boring as people say it is, anyway." Perhaps unsurprisingly, Nojiko didn't ask anymore questions.

Thanks to Nojiko, getting through the mass of villagers at the dock wasn't much trouble. It had only been a few minutes until I saw the Going Merry's gangplank lowered, allowing me to see the four current male members of the crew loading cargo onto the caravel.

"Hey, Petra!" Just as I came to a stop, probably a foot away from the wooden gangplank, I heard a bang, causing me to stiffen. Looking up, it wasn't hard to realize that Luffy had dropped the crate he had been carrying, directly over-

...Hm. Was that Usopp's soul…?

"Morning, Luffy,'' I said, by way of greeting. "Shouldn't you...er, help Usopp…?"

Luffy blinked, glancing behind him. A minute passed.

"Ah, Usopp! I'm sorry!" He wailed, hurriedly pulling the box off the downed sniper.

 _Did he not realize…?_

"It's...It's alright, Luffy," Usopp groaned weakly. Dramatically, more like, his hand reaching up towards his captain. "The Great Captain Usopp will always live on in your heart…!" And with that, he fell limp, like an actor in a play.

"No-! No, Usopp!"

I glanced at Nojiko, exhaling. I also gained no support from her, who only carried a shrug and exasperated expression.

Ah, thanks, Nojiko.

"You do realize he isn't dead, right?" I said dryly. Well, I thought not, anyway, and while a story about how Usopp was bested by a wooden box would be pretty hilarious, it'd be pretty bad if he was outright _dead._ "Heartbeat? Pulse? Breathing?"

Luffy gasped. "You're right!" He exclaimed. How he had fallen for Usopp's ruse, I had no idea. Perhaps simply stating he was an idiot was explanation enough.

Maybe taking that as a prompt, Usopp decided to end his act, suddenly standing up. "Hahaha! Just kidding! As though the Great Captain would fall from such a small attack! Why, I once-"

"Usopp, you're alive!" Luffy sobbed, wrapping his rubbery arms around the sniper, effectively cutting him off.

...Hadn't we just established he was fine…?

Still, I decided not to dwell on it. The Grand Line would prove even stranger, and I had other things to direct my attention to. For example, the creaking of the galley door.

"Hey, shitty rubber! What's with the ruckus!" A blonde cook (whoa, I wonder who _that_ was) stepped out, hand still on the doorknob. He surveyed the deck, blinking once his eyes fell on me. "Petra-san? Nojiko-chan? Did you come to see us off?"

Huh. Nami must have told him my name or something (or, given how familiarly he referred to her, maybe Nojiko had). I didn't think there was any other way he could have known. "Well, actually-"

"She's joining!" Despite having been crying mere seconds ago, Luffy was suddenly in high spirits, detaching himself from Usopp and bounding in front of where Sanji stood, the cook having shut the galley door and approached. "I asked her!"

Sanji blinked once. Twice. A third, eyes darting between me and Luffy, before apparently deciding to focus on his captain, fire flaring into his irises. Literally - I didn't think it was biologically possible, but I could hear the flames smoldering. "You _idiot, stupid piece of rubber!"_ He raged, kicking his captain into the Merry's railing without further hesitation. "What were you thinking, inviting someone as young and cute as her into the crew?!"

"But she was fine with it!"

"Because you probably pushed her!"

...Hm. Well, while watching those two was somewhat amusing, it was also...repetitive. I glanced towards Usopp. "Is...are things always like this?"

Usopp shrugged. "You get used to it after a while."

"...Noted."

After another few moments of squabbling, Sanji huffed and stepped away from his captain, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a cigarette. "I'm sorry, Petra-san. Excuse my captain. He's...difficult." He said. As though resigned to a death sentence, flicking on a lighter with his free hand.

"I noticed," I said dryly - both from personal experience, and from everything I'd read. I'd hope for it to be solely the latter, but I guess we don't all get what we want. "I assume that's a...constant thing, then?"

"Considering he refused my refusal?" Sanji said, blowing smoke from his mouth, thankfully not directly in my face. "Yeah, I'd say so."

"That's...unfortunate."

"Yeah, you're telling me," Usopp responded glumly, shoulders sagging. For a moment, a melancholy silence hung over the ship, until-

"This is boring!" Luffy whined. "Where's Nami? I wanna set sail already!"

Sanji growled, whirling towards his captain, though before he could rag on him again, Nojiko spoke up. I was surprised that she hadn't spoken more, given her usual personality. "She was still getting ready, last I checked." Nojiko replied. "I'm not sure whether she's coming with or seeing you off, though, so you'll have to wait until then."

Sanji nodded, narrowing his eyes at his captain. "Nami-swan can take as long as she wants. Be patient!" He scolded the wearer of the straw hat, before his demeanor switched, hearts replacing where his eyes were. It kinda made me wonder whether switching eye effects so quickly was a regular thing, or if that was a talent that belonged to Sanji alone. "I'm sure she's prepared for a sweet departure! Perhaps some form-"

It was the second time a door slammed on the Merry, today.

"What the hell are you on about, ero-cook?"

Sanji broke off at the interruption, glaring angrily at the doorway that undoubtedly led below deck. "What I was-? What the hell were you doing below deck, huh? Slacking off?"

While Sanji had been easily recognized due to his suit and blonde hair (never mind his eyebrow), Roronoa Zoro contrasted him with his plain clothing and messy green. While it was true I had seen him before, it was a bit different, now - now, I wasn't severely worried for everyone's health. Then again, it had been my fault to creating a conversation with Arlong in the first place, though...

The swordsman yawned, clearly not caring much for Sanji's opinion. "What're you gonna do about it, if I was?"

Sanji stalked forward, angrily chomping on his cigarette. "Shape up, marimo. We have two girls on board now!"

Zoro seemed unsurprised. "Yeah? Ever thought that the witch doesn't want to come?"

"Nami-swan isn't a witch!" Sanji snapped, levelling a kick at the green-haired male, who blocked with Wado. "She's a darling angel that you would never recognize-!"

"Yeah, because there isn't a damn thing that's angelic about her!"

"I guess that proves how blind you are, marimo!"

"I can see better than you can, swirly brow!"

Sanji shook his head, breaking away from the swordsman and taking a step back. Not admitting defeat - just wanting to bring up something else, I assumed. "Still… I can't believe I'm saying this, but mosshead has a point. With her home free, and everything, there might not be a point in sailing…"

Luffy pouted, firmly crossing his arms. "No, she'll come! She wants to!"

While this discussion was happening, I lowered the backpack, leaning it against the side of the Merry, then stepped down the gangplank, towards Nojiko. It was then that I noticed Genzo had joined her, as well as Doctor Nako. No wonder she hadn't been very invested in the conversation up on deck - she probably had been occupied with speaking with them.

The bluenette raised an eyebrow, turning to address me. "Having second thoughts?"

I shrugged, stopping halfway down the plank. "No. I don't think so. Hopefully not."

She smirked. "Yeah, seems like a wild ride."

Genzo spoke up, adjusting his hat. The signature pinwheel was missing. "Well, if I can put in my two cents…" He looked up at me, regarding my presence. With what, I wasn't sure. "I suppose I should say thanks. I didn't expect you to come out of nowhere, but you've done some help. We appreciate it."

With gratitude, it seemed - I did the same. "..your welcome. I think I should we thanking you more, though - you didn't have to help me. I'm grateful for it."

Nako snorted. "A strange kid, aren't you?"

"...maybe. Doesn't change what I said." Either way, I hoped they believed I was sincere - even when I was genuine, I knew best that I had the emotional range of a brick wall. "Thank you, for saving my life."

Nojiko waved it off. "It wasn't a problem. Don't thank me - or anyone else,'' she added, and seeing me open my mouth, quickly cut me off. "Look, if you want to prove your gratitude or whatever over your life, then _enjoy it_. It seems like something you could do a little more."

I hesitated, then sighed, beginning to turn around. "...Yeah, I'll do that. Make sure you all enjoy your freedom, too. You deserve it."

Better than I ever did, anyway.

Word Count: 4206

Gah, there was more I wanted to do with the chapter, but I kinda just...eh? It was either this length, or becoming unnaturally long, at least for where I am in terms of my writing stamina. In any case, I have the next two chapters planned out, though not fully written. Still, those two excite me the most, I think, so...look forward to it?

On the other hand, regardless of my planning, don't expect faster updates. If this chapter is any indication, I'm not...great at those. Oops.

Don't forget to review, that always helps me out! Thank you to everyone who has followed, favorited, and reviewed - it warms my heart.


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